Creating and Improving Pollinator Habitat in the State of Ohio

Problem Nectar sources and their dependent species are in

decline. native bees butterflies

Need Spring, Summer, Fall Blooms. The Monarch host plant, is lacking on the landscape.

Purpose Create and improve pollinator habitat

across the State of Ohio.

Increase and improve pollinator conservation awareness for all Ohioans.

Past Year Monarch Listing Petition

White House Strategy Directive FWS/USGS Monarch Map

New Highway Bill

Monarchs Need Nectar plants blooming July – Sept.

Need Host Plant – Milkweed sp. Undisturbed Milkweed in Aug.

Connectivity – We need gas stations that are closer than five hundred miles apart. How far

can YOU go on a tank of gas?

Monarch Life Cycle

Photo sources: Michelle Solensky, Denny Brooks, Mary Holland, Dave Astin, Wendy Caldwell

7Instar: Period between larval molts. Monarchs have 5 instars.

Egg

First Instar

Fifth Instar

Karen Oberhauser

8

Larva in the ‘J’ Stage

New Monarch Pupa

Mary Holland

9

Monarch ready to eclose

A new adult monarch!

ARKive Video

Mary Holland

Fully Grown Monarch in…..1 Month!

Monarch Life Cycle and Migration

Monarch Lab, Journey North

Monarch Life Cycle and Migration

Monarch Lab, Journey North

Monarchs No one wants to see the Monarch listed.

Landscape Level Effort Create and protect enough habitat to prevent listing. If everyone does all they can, the effort to increase

Monarchs will be successful.

Monarch and Pollinator Habitat Helps Other Wildlife Too!!

OPHI - One Year Old ODOT – Pheasants & Quail Forever Projects

AEP Projects USDA - NRCS

Statewide Network of Partners Pilot Seed Program – 1.5 billion new stems

needed nationwide! Monarch Joint Venture Partners!!

• Honey Bees: Reduce honey bee colony losses during winter (overwintering mortality) to no more than 15% within 10 years.

• Monarch Butterflies: Increase the Eastern population of the monarch butterfly to 225 milllion butterflies occupying an area of approximately 15 acres (6 hectares) in the overwintering grounds in Mexico, through domestic/international actions and public-private partnerships, by 2020.

• Pollinator Habitat Acreage: Restore or enhance 7 million acres of land for pollinators over the next 5 years through Federal actions and public/private partnerships.

NATIONAL STRATEGY TO PROMOTE THE HEALTH OF HONEY BEES AND OTHER POLLINATORS

Pollinator Health Task Force

Federal Highway Bill

Decreased Mowing Strategies Supportive of pollinator habitat via ROWS

and other strategic areas Realize the importance of Milkweed

“Monarch Flower”

ODOT - Federal Highway Bill

ODOT Projects – Auglaize Co.

Transmission Line Examples New Albany Study Plots

Currently underway and will include: Several plots representing beneficial vegetation for pollinators,

song birds, game birds and wildlife and opportunities for public outreach and education.

Dawes Arboretum Transmission line Licking County – US Rt. 36 Approx. 1/3 acre of native grass/forbs and

beneficial vegetation for pollinators. Pleasant Valley Wildlife Area

In planning phase: Essential pollinator nectar, host plant and stop-over/nesting

native grasses. Also will include introduction to alternative maintenance techniques geared toward pollinator health and longevity.

USDA Efforts Farm Service Agency (FSA)

Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) NRCS - EQIP Bee Initiative – This past year, occurred

in 24 Ohio counties… potential for Statewide 2016? FSA CRP Pollinator Practice – CP42 1,300 acres in

Ohio currently (room for more) FSA CRP Monarch Safe Proposal in Approval

Process FSA CRP Mid-Contract Mgmt. – cost share incentives

for landowners to create pollinator blocks or strips NRCS 10 State Monarch Pilot Program

• Core committee established a milkweed seed banking program collecting common and swamp milkweed across central Ohio.

 • Collected seed has been separated from the silk, dried and

is being properly stored to ensure germination. Seed will be tested by universities for viable germination.

• The seeds will then be potted in late winter in time to ensure proper growth by time of distribution.

• The established milkweed plugs will be distributed to OPHI recommended projects within the areas of the state where the initial pod collection took place and other strategic sites throughout the state in 2016.

• The pilot project in central Ohio will allow for refinement of this project before it is initiated statewide.

Milkweed Pod Pilot Project

Statewide this year!

All Hands On Deck Urban

Suburban Rural

All you can – Where you can!

Opportunity Areas

• CRP, WRP• Roads,

Railroads, ROW’s

• Schools, churches, businesses

• Parks, golf courses, cemeteries

• Prisons airports, fairgrounds

• Backyards• More!

PartnershipsOPHI is seeking partners to achieve

the goals of creating pollinator & Monarch habitat and educate Ohioans on the importance of

pollinators.

$2,000 from Darke County Pheasants Forever for Pollinator Public Relations efforts.

4 billboards throughout Summer News Releases and PSAs Pollinator Workshop in Shelby County

We’d like to thank our primary partners in this initiative:

Thank You!

www.OPHI.info

https://www.facebook.com/Ohio-Pollinator-Habitat-Initiative-102481783426075

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